How to Tame Your Dragonkeeper
by Wildjump
Summary: After the war everyone has a life, a path to fulfill. Watch what happens when a girl who thought she would never actually get a life to live, and a man who thought he already had one, are suddenly thrown into a whole new life. Hermione and Charlie find that the have much in common and set out on a common goal of ending pain and suffering for their human and animal allies alike. lem
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Hermione Granger stared at herself in the full-length mirror of the bathroom in her flat. Here brown eyes were just as plane brown, but for the most part, Hermione felt as if she had grown into her old body. Her hair had become sleeker and less frazzled and now, with the help of a couple simple potions instead of shampoo, lay in loose ringlets around her face and shoulders. Her face, hollow after the war had filled out more now to show flushed cheeks that blushed easily, an average nose with a few freckles, and a well rounded mouth. Over all Hermione thought she wasn't a beauty by any means, but she was well enough.

She was going to miss this flat, but she had decided that there was no since in paying to keep it when she was needed elsewhere. Molly Weasley had practically begged Hermione to come and live at the burrow wither her, and Hermione had to admit that the small house was much calmer and to her liking without all the children in it, all in all it was a rather nice place to live. Fred was dead, George living in the flat over their shop, Bill with his wife Fleur, Charlie was in Romania, Harry and Ron had a flat near the Ministry's auror training head quarters, and Ginny was at Hogwarts for her final year. It had only been six months since the end of the wizarding war, and Hermione had spent the last four searching for what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

In fact Hermione had held six jobs in four months, she was the brightest witch of her age, and the brains of the Golden Trio, there was not a job out there that she could not have; the problem was there also wasn't a job out there that she wanted. She had started out going to auror training along with the boys as an attempt to be able to be with Ron, but she quickly discovered that she wanted nothing more to do with chasing dark wizards, nor did she enjoy the pomp and circumstance that followed her around while she trained. Harry seemed to be oblivious to it and focused heart and soul on his training, but Ron's showoffishness, and attraction to all the attention began to urk Hermione quickly, and their relationship crumbled to an empty void that their evasion of each other had yet to fill. Next she went to Hogwarts to take McGonagall up on her offer to teach there, and was not surprised when after almost six hours of sulking around the graveyard that her beloved school had become and several fits of tears upon finding the places where her loved ones where killed it was suggested to her that she might do well to find a different school to teach at. She was bored by her arithmacy work at Greengots, unhinged by the amount of blood gore and guts that came with being a healer, frustrated with the political games going on in wizarding law, and felt suffocated by corporate management.

Hermione was lost. She thought back to being on the run and shuddered at the terror and horror of it all, but some small part of her missed the simplicity of lying in the woods watching the stars and not having to worry about societal woes, or what odd photo of her the Daily Profit would come up with next. She missed having her friends there at night in their tent when she would be plagued by nightmares and awake to a friendly smile and reassuring words. She missed being around people who understood what she had been through on a first hand basis, and not as some sort of awe inspiring super hero tale that was to be passed from one person to another like a great joke. It wasn't a joke. It was real. She had almost died. They all had almost died.

Picking up the last of her things and sending them through the floo in front of her Hermione said a final goodbye to her flat before stepping into the green flames once again, pot of floo powder in her hands, and saying "The Burrow".

Once she was through she was mildly surprised to see her belongings had already been moved to her new room, and Mrs. Weasley standing there waiting with open arms.

"Hermione dear, welcome home." Mrs. Weasley said pulling her into an all-engulfing hug, "I'm so glad that you decided to stay with us Dear, we are so happy to have you."

"Well, I'm happy to be hear Mrs. Weasley, I…" Step thump… Step thump… Step thump Hermione froze midsentence listening to the awkward steps coming down the stairs to her right. In a flash she swiveled back erect wand pointed at the base of the stairs, a stunning spell tickling her lips simply waiting for the order to speak. Before Mrs. Weasley could say anything the man clunking his way down the stairs had reached the bottom step and looked Hermione squarely in the eyes as if just challenging her to do it.

Seeing who it was Hermione did not drop her wand. There was something about the man standing before her that was innately different. His long red hair was not pulled back into a well kempt tail at the nape of his neck, but hung lankly around his face and shoulders, his usually dancing blue eyes were mate and dull and he was hunched like a cripple. This was not the Charlie Weasley she knew.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm gonna say this once, I don't own Harry Potter or the characters or pretty much anything you've heard of before, ya i don't know that, and probably a bunch more.

Chapter 2:

For long moments Charlie and Hermione did nothing but stare at each other while Molly stood wringing her hands on her apron.

"Go ahead." Charlie said squaring his broad chest and staring the smaller witch down from across the room.

Hermione said nothing, but just kept looking at the man before her and wondering what happened to him, and why he was here.

"Do it or leave what more do you want from me?"

"Who was Ginny's fist kiss to?" Hermione asked him suspiciously.

Charlie stood statue still and with a voice so emotionless that Hermione wondered of she stared upon a ghost he said, "Me, when she was six." and clunked his way out the door.

Hermione's eyes grew wide with surprise and concern, the man that had stood before her a short time ago was nothing like the man that she had thought she had known. The man from before was happy, with a bounce in his step and with his long hair and huge masculine build stood apart from the rest of his family as the adrenaline seeking ruff and tumble type of man, now he looked old and broken.

Molly sighed and said, "He's been here a week, honestly that's really the most he's said since he came. He doesn't want me to know it but he snuck all of his stuff in five nights ago and has it all shrunk into the wardrobe. I think he's moved back in, but I can't for the life of me bring myself to make him say it."

Hermione sighed and hugged Molly one more time before saying, "I'll go talk to him; something's up and he can't stay like this." Mrs. Weasley looked concerned at the idea of someone confronting her son who was so clearly in pain, but she knew it had to be done so she just handed Hermione a plate of sandwiches and a couple jugs of pumpkin juice and watched from the window as she made her way out to the big oak tree that always seemed to house the pains and joys of her family under it's wide sturdy branches.

Hermione watched as Charlie say down beneath the tree. It was a graceless event in which he bend his right leg fully and let himself fall to the ground catching himself on his hands, and then slowly using both hands and biting his lip fully straightening his left leg so that it lay by his right. Hermione had to work to keep the pity from her eyes as she came into his view carrying their lunch.

As soon as he saw her Charlie looked away from her glaring at the offending leg and ignored her. Hermione tried to hand him a sandwich, but he ignored it, and began to play with a small patch of dirt under his left hand. Shrugging Hermione withdrew the offered meal and taking out her wand whispered a charm under her breath. The sandwich flew from her hand, and proceeded to attempt to feed itself to Charlie pecking him on the face and covering him in tomato juice and mayonnaise until growling with frustration he grabbed the thing and ripped off a large chunk into his mouth.

Giggling to herself Hermione lay back against his arm awkwardly all but forcing him to lift it and allow her to rest her head on his right thigh. Charlie glanced down at her scowling, and she giggled even harder before reaching up to wipe some mayonnaise from his jawline and wipe it on the grass beside them.

More than half an hour and a whole plate of sandwiches later Charlie broke the silence saying, "I'm back for good."

"We know."

He nodded and continued, "They had to give me the boot. To slow on my damn leg now-a-days, I was a liability, and they can't afford to be sending me to St. Mungos every time I get burned for being too damn slow."

Hermione looked up at him confused, "Of course they can afford it, Dragon Reserves make tons of money on the sale of dragon scales and blood and the such for potions and medicines."

Charlie was shaking his head looking sad, "I only worked at a Dragon Reserve for one year, I lied to Mum so she wouldn't worry, but I couldn't work there any longer. The conditions where horrible." Hermione wanted to say something more, but Charlie looked like he was a million miles away, and she worried that if she reminded him of who he was talking to he would stop talking again. She was therefore relieved when he continued by saying, "They give the dragons just enough to stay alive and take from them all but what the need to live, even sometimes their hides are skinned right off their living flesh for profit." Hermione's eyes were wide with horror, and her hand covered her mouth, "I moved to a dragon sanctuary after that year, it's more like a charity project or a rescue they keep open off of visitors, and donors they don't sell anything off the dragons, but there' no salary, just basic food and cloths, and a tent. Once they put me off, I had nowhere to go, no money no food nothing. I even tried to go back to a reserve, but no one with dragons will take me because of my injuries." He was staring at the horizon and when Hermione turned her head to look with him his hand seemed to fall without his knowing to rest on the side of her head, and his hand began absentmindedly running through her air soothing her and letting her think.

This was like SPEW all over again, magical beings being mistreated for the benefit of wizards and witches, it wasn't right. She had to do something about it, there had to be a better way to keep both the creatures and people happy, and she didn't have time to go through it on a case-to-case basis, she needed to find another way. She knew that poor creatures such as newts were killed by the thousands for use in potions ingredients, but she just didn't know what there was that she could do about it.

Hermione didn't know how long they had been there when they were both sent sprawling by a loud crack emanating from somewhere to their left. Hermione was on her feet in a flash wand raised and at the ready. Charlie's leg gave as he tried to jump up moments after her, and he had toppled backwards hitting his head on the tree behind him and his rump on a root. Cussing he sat upright and raised his wand resolved to firing his spells from the ground. The pare were about to fire their spells when a warn briefcase and a shock red hair announced that their visitor was Mr. Weasley.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Dinner that night was quiet, and no one spoke unless spoken to, and everyone was aware of the glances that Charlie sent Hermione's way occasionally even though he refused to answer anyone's questions. Everyone went their separate ways after dinner and it was before ten when Hermione curled into bed showered, pajama clad, and having just read another three chapters of Hogwarts A History. She fell asleep quickly and screamed.

She was in Malfoy Manor again Belatrix held her by her hair and dragged her up towards the knife that was waiting to munch at her thought.

Charlie had more trouble sleeping than Hermione, and was still awake sitting on the foot of his bed head in his hands when he heard a faint muffled scream below him. He leapt from the bed held back by the pain and stiffness in his leg and stumbled down the stairs. He burst into Hermione's room relying on the wooden door and doorframe for support. It took him a moment to realize that she wasn't being attacked, but having a nightmare. He hobbled to her bed and sunk down beside it. He shook her and called her name. He rubbed her back and untangled her hair from around her face and neck hoping to comfort her but to no avail. He pulled the wand out of his pajama pants and placed it against her temple. He pulled her dream right out of her head like one might a memory into a pensive and then flew into it.

His wings were strong, his mind sharp as he circled above Malfoy Manor he could see her, as if there was neither roof nor upper stories. Beltrix was cursing her as she writhed on the floor of the dark room blood streaming from her neck onto the stained carpet. He heard the screaming stop briefly and dove, crimson wings clamped to his sides golden eyes locked on the writhing whimpering mess of a girl below him. He landed behind her slamming three legs onto the ground and knocking down a couple of walls with his great spiked tale. His fourth leg was blackened and bent at an odd angle to his belly and dangling off the ground talons shattered and scales off kilter. He wrapped his strong tale and neck around Hermione facing Belatrix who did not seem to recognize his presence. He brought up a great talon clad paw and swiped at her roaring. She shattered and disappeared into a puff if lurid smoke.

Charlie had expected the dream to fade with her, but suddenly Hermione was turning to look at him her eyes wide and mouth gaping. She reached out a hand and lowered his leathery muzzle down to her touch. It was soothing to him as his more animalistic side that raged in his chest quieted. She turned all around taking in his full length and gasped when she saw his leg, instinctively he pulled the injured limb away from her, but she turned back to look at him and pressing her forehead against his muzzle she whispered, "Charlie".

Charlie reeled, not only should she not be able to know who he was, but he should not even be able to see him. He searched the room for the missing link that was holding the dream together. He saw the blond head of the Malfoy boy standing statue still in the corner eyes fixed on where Hermione had been writhing on the floor his face frozen. Charlie whipped his tail at the figure and he, and the dream melted away.

Both Charlie and Hermione found them selves in Hermione's room, Charlie kneeling next to her bed, and Hermione lying on her side looking into his eyes, and clutching his wand hand in her own. That, Charlie thought, must have been how she saw him, she was channeling his magic during the dream by holding the hand that he was using to cast the spell.

"Charlie" Hermione rasped.

"Go to sleep" He said, but he could already tell that she wasn't having any of that.

"How did you do it?" She asked.

"Long story I'll tell you later sleep now."

"No. Tell me."

Charlie sighed and turned around so that his bare back faced her.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat, she had been concentrating on his face and hadn't much realized that he was shirtless, and no less attractive with his rippling muscles and hard lines due to the scares and burns that scattered his torso. On his back she saw a gray-scale tattoo of a dragon, its wings went from shoulder to shoulder, its neck reached up the back of his own, and its head reached back down to rest on his shoulder. Its body went from shoulder blades to mid back, and its tail and spikes followed down his spine and dipped into his pajama pants to peek back out an inch to the left with six large sharp spikes. It was beautiful and she didn't have the self-control to stop herself from reaching out and running a finger from its head down its neck and stomach to the place where its tail dipped into his pants. Charlie shivered at the feel of her soft finger on his bare skin, he felt like staying there and hoping that she touched him again, but he turned to face her pushing that thought out of his head and thinking that he needed a night out to help control his urges.

Hermione looked at him expectantly so he said, "It's a magical Tattoo, I was having issues with dreams, this tattoo allows me to be a Dragon in my dreams. It was done by a nomad in Romania, you don't get to pick your animal, so there is some risk at coming up a mouse or some such, but he casts a spell an drinks a potion and then draws the tattoo that he sees in the fire while you sleep and it binds the tattoo to your dreams." Hermione looked at him with awe in here eyes and a spark of interest that only came with learning new magic.

Charlie grimaced when he saw the gleam in here eyes and cursed himself knowing that Hermione was about to have new tattoo, or he was about to have a new shadow.

"Now be a good girl and sleep." Charlie said and limped out of the room before she could protes


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione dreamed of dragons for most of the night, but of anyone asked she would insist that she did not dream of a muscled back with a rippling tattoo and strong arms with dancing blue eyes and flaming red hair.

The next morning when Hermione awoke Molly was already up and about cleaning and keeping herself busy and Charlie was using the upstairs shower, so she just stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen and started heating up some eggs and toast. At the last minute she decided to add bacon to the mix guessing that Charlie would prefer bacon. Sure enough ten minutes later Charlie limped down the stairs nose in the air.  
"Bacon?" he asked and Hermione smiled at him. His lips twitched in response, but he still wasn't in any mood to smile.

"So Charlie I was thinking," Hermione started.

"Please don't" he said rubbing his face and sitting down at the table.

"But I was, so I have two things I was thinking about actually." Charlie groaned, but then looked up at her confused, "Ya two, one I want a tattoo. The other is that I think that we should so something about the way that the dragons are being treated on the Reserve, actually not just dragons, all."

"No to the first., and I train animals, I don't get into political arguments and do research and stuff. You should go for it Hermione, but I'm not going to be any help there."

"One Charlie, yes you are going to take me to get that tattoo, and two, I've really been thinking about it, and I think what we need to show the that what they are doing is wrong is to go around and journal the lives of sentient magical creatures and prove that human emotions and thought deserve humane treatment."

"Like I said Hermione no to the tattoo, and you are not going around the world hunting magical creatures and putting yourself in danger just so you can try to help their conditions."

"See Charlie that's why I need you, you can come with me, if you can handle dragons, you can handle anything."

Charlie turned away from her before saying, "No Hermione I can't handle dragons, no anymore."

"I've been thinking about that too Charlie, and I think I can fix your leg." Charlie's head shot up and he looked at her with weary eyes.

"If you can fix my leg, I will take you to get that tattoo."

"Charlie how long ago did you get your tattoo" Hermione asked placing breakfast on the table before him.

"When I was 23, so three years ago."

"Do you ever feel like the dragon is actually inside you? Maybe when your really sad, or angry or scared?"

Charlie shrugged taking a bite of toast, "I've always been a little dragon hearted."

"Any more so after the tattoo?"

"Hermione I become a dragon in my dreams, how else am I supposed to feel?"

"I think I know the problem, but I need you to show me how to get into your dreams and then I need you to sleep." Charlie looked at her suspiciously, but didn't say anything.

Finally he said, "The spell is called Arterioulus Drenaughtica, first you pull the memory out then dive in, but Hermione, while you are in that dream state, you can get hurt, I took a risk going into your dream, you will only be human and I will be a dragon I could hurt you, I could kill you."

"But you'll recognize me, you won't, and I'll put you to sleep before I do any work on you."

"You think the injury that my dragon form has is what I'm suffering from now don't you?"

"It makes since, it was so obvious in your dragon form, but you don't see anything in your human form, I think the dragon becomes a little more a part of you than you think, and when you experience strong emotions, it joins with you and helps you. I think in the final battle, your dragon was within you, and when that curse hit you, it hit the dragon part of you. Your dragon looks like it has a broken leg that has been burned the nails are all shattered like there was some sort of explosion, can anything burn a dragon?"

"Fiend Fire."

"That would make since, I will have to do some research on that aspect, but I think if I re-break and set the leg I can heal it."

"Two problems." Came a voice from the doorway, they both looked up to see Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway, "Hermione dear do you know how to heal a dragon? And dear how do you propose to break his bone, if he is a dragon it would be huge."

"Well Mrs. Weasley, I have an idea about that too. In order for him to see me in the dream he will have to hold onto my wand hand, and I think that in that state, I will be connected to both his human and dragon form, I think that I should be able to break and reposition the bone using only the strength needed to do so on a human, the key will be setting the bone correctly for a dragon."

"I can teach you the skeletal anatomy you will need, but I could kill you, my dragon part is till 80 percent animal, it's too dangerous, any potion that could put the dragon to sleep will likely kill the human me. Believe me Dragons do not like having their bones broken."

"I'm going to do it Charlie, so you best think of a way to keep me safe."

Sitting down with us Mrs. Weasley began to think and finally said, "I can heal her." Both of her children looked at her and she explained, "You said that if you hurt Hermione during your dream it will hurt her for real, so if I see her hurt I can heal her as it's happening."

"And if I kill her?"

"You won't."

"No" said Charlie flatly and hobbled out of the kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: So no reviews yet, but id love to hear what y'all have to say it really makes my day to get a good review. :)

Chapter 5:

Hermione spent the next three days searching thought everything she and the Weasleys had about dragons. She was sure now that she could mend his leg, and that there was no way to put him to sleep without damaging his human body at the same time, but she was going to do it anyways.

On the evening of the third day after Charlie had gone to sleep Hermione snuck up to his room and let herself in. She watched his heavy breathing under the blankets as his solid scared shoulders heaved slowly. She placed a hand softly on his chiseled jaw, and tilted his head back parting his lips and pouring in a sleeping draft made to make his human body stay asleep for five hours. That done she placed her wand at his temple and muttered "Arterioulus Drenaughtica" drawing his dream out of him clasping her and in his and diving into it.

She was standing in the middle of a field in Romania, a small lake lay to her left, and in it she could see her reflection, she did not look quite like herself, but perhaps like herself in five or ten years. He hair was a little darker, her feature sharper and more mature, her body filled out with womanly curves. She instinctively knew that it was the woman that she would one day become, and also that in his dream world this would be how Charlie would see her. She searched around her and found the Dragon lying on the ground something small pinched in his talons, she was feet away from him when she realized it was a skull. In fact there were many skulls littered around, one even had a whizzing electric blue mechanical eye. She wondered who's skull Charlie held, before kneeling beside Moodie's and giving a moment of respect to her teacher who had passed on. Behind her she heard a keening noise and looked up to see a large crimson muzzle coming to rest by her right knee. She looked into the large golden eye and said, "I need to heal your leg, may I?"

The dragon looked at her and then let out a long low breath and settled himself down with his bad leg within reach. Hermione walked back to his leg, making sure to stay out of easy swinging range of his barbed tail and pointed her wand ay the Dragon's leg. Without a single word she brought her wand down hard and Hermione heard the Dragon keening once again followed by a roar of anger. Hermione pressed herself against the rough sharp scales of Charlie's side, so that he could not strike her, and carefully moved the bone in to its proper position before fusing it. The whole process took a few minutes and Hermione was proud of Charlie for sitting still through it all. She made her way up to his head feeling small trickles of blood from where his scales had cut her.

Once she could see into his golden eye again she said, "Try walking on it now, I haven't figured out how to fix the fiend fire yet, but it should be better, just be careful and move slowly."

Charlie stood one his three good legs and tenderly started to lower the fourth limb to the ground. Soon he was weight bearing on it, and able to walk on all fours. Suddenly the dragon turned and leaped at Hermione causing her to scream and scramble backwards where she was helped to the ground by a huge leathery nose. Charlie rolled her around on the ground a bit and Hermione could only hope that it was a sign of happiness and gratitude not aggression. She let out a small scream and he stopped laying his head down beside her and breathing his hot breath onto her middle and chest. It was so warm and comforting that she almost forgot about the skulls laying about.

"Charlie, who did that skull that you were looking at earlier belong to?"

Charlie walked back to it, and picked it up placing it on the fleshy part of the paw on his front right foot. Hobbling on three feet and balancing the skull on the fourth he brought the skull over and held it out for her. She took it without really wanting to and examined the bone structure. The skull was thin and masculine with a broad forehead and narrow chin. "Fred?" She asked and the dragon sank to the ground with a whimper. "I'm sorry Charlie" She said and laying the skull by Moodie's she went and sat just behind the left jaw of the dragon laying up against him she was soon fast asleep.

Six hours later Charlie woke from an odd dream to find that his leg was in less pain and Hermione was asleep leaning up against the bed. Testing out his leg he found that it hurt, but was much less stiff and had a much better range of motion with considerably less pain. He smiled in spite if himself, maybe he could work with dragons again now, and looked down at the girl by his bed. He realized now that she really wasn't much of a girl anymore, in fact she was not far off from the beautiful regal woman in his dream that commanded confidence and respect through her air and posture. He lifted her onto his bed and pulled the sheet up over her stashing her wand on the side table. Looking at her for a moment longer he leaned in and brushed a strand of hair from her face and whispered, "You shouldn't have, but thank you." and kissed her lightly on the forehead before dragging himself and his newly cooperative leg over to the plush armchair to try to get a couple more hours of sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: lets see who will be my first review. Any recommendations? Do you like it? Any questions?

Chapter 6:

The next morning Hermione awoke slowly with the warm sun pouring in the window. She snuggled into the soft pillows and sheets breathed in deeply. It smelled like woods and musk with a faint spicy accent that made her mind buzz as she breathed in the intoxicating scent. She moaned and rolled over thinking about the great red dragon with blazing gold eyes, the she froze. She sat up quickly finding herself alone in Charlie's room, on his bed, in his sheets, which were now smeared with her own dried blood. The cuts from the Dragon's razor scales curt, and there was a layering of thin slices on the back of her shoulders and neck from where she had fallen asleep on him, and his deep breathing had chafed his scales against her skin.

Hermione's mind was spinning, had her fix of the Dragon's broken leg helped Charlie, had he even know it was her, had he seen her in his dream as she had, the woman that she would become? Just as she was about to get up she heard the door open, and reached around grasping for her wand before she realized that the smooth steps behind her belonged to Charlie. "Did it work?" she all but burst out.

Charlie set the bowl of hot water down beside her and picked up one of her hands taking it in both of hers. "I should kill you for that." He said sternly and her face fell slightly before he smiled at her "You had no right to put your life in danger like that." He let go of her hand and took the rag that he and hanging over his shoulder and dipped it into the water. He grabbed her right arm and turned her slightly so that he could start to clean her cuts before dropping the towel back in the bowl and unscrewing a jar of dittany and rubbing it into her skin as he watched it heal.

"I had every right. It's my life, and my decision as to what is worth risking it for." Charlie just shook his head and continued cleaning her wounds working now on the back of her neck and shoulders. Pulled away from him and turned to look at him; he looked somewhat better, he was clean-shaven again, and his hair was tied back into a sleek horsetail at the nape of his neck again. His eyes were still pained and duller than normal, but there was a slight dancing in them that made her think he was coming back alive. "Charlie" She said placing her fingertips against his jaw to draw his attention back to her when he looked away, "Did it help?"

He looked at her for a long moment before saying, "I suppose I owe you a tattoo."

Hermione beamed and threw herself at him arms around his neck and legs on either side of his massive torso. He chuckled and held her for a moment before setting her down in front of him. "It's much better, it still twinges, and every once in a while there's a shooting pain, but the stiffness and awkwardness of it is gone. Now sit still and let me finish you up, I sent an owl to The Nomad, about your tattoo this morning, and I expect to hear back from him soon."

Hermione did as she was bid saying sadly, "It's the fiend fire, I don't know how to reverse it."

"I have an idea of someone who might. I have known two people to have Dream Tattoos apart from myself, The Nomad, and a girl I dated once, she was a panther, but The Nomad has a tattoo of a ashwinder climbing his leg. It was given to him by his master, and as I am sure you know, there are only two beings that can survive fiend fires; those that are born from it, and those that live for it."

"The Ashwinder and The Phoenix." Hermione said thoughtfully, "Yes, he may know something, when can we see him?"

"Oh soon enough I think, he has a good nose for when someone is on the lookout for him, I imagine he knew before you did that you wanted a dream tattoo, it comes with the whole aspect of divination that the art holds. I'd guess he will send the owl back to us with a meeting time and place soon enough."

Finishing with Hermione's back he asked her if anything else hurt, and when she said that she was fine he presented his newly healed leg for her to inspect. She poke and prodded, bent and straitened it even making him hop up and down on it. He still had twinges of pain, but it was manageable. As he was walking to his dresser as proof that he was totally fine the leg seized up and he collapsed to the ground holding it as it quivered between his hands. Hermione was by his side and asking him what had happened before he was even able to catch his breath from the sudden attack. "I don't know it just seized up, it did this earlier too I don't now what I did wrong."

"Probably nothing," Hermione said a sorrowful look on her face, "Its fiend fire, I suppose that was really as good as we could hope for it to be.

As the sudden pain eased Charlie stood up and suggested that the pair go find Molly for some lunch.

After their lunch a plain brown barn owl came rapping on the window, and Charlie let it in. Reading the letter silently he brought it back to the table with a knowing nod to Hermione and a "Oh don't worry about it mum just one of my mates from Romania," to his mother.

Once up stairs Charlie said, "Get some rest, you won't sleep right for at least a week and you'll be tender on the tattoo, we are headed to a forest six miles south of here around 5:00, I'll wake you at 3 and we can leave here at 3:30, we will have to walk. With a nod Hermione went into her room and fell into a restless sleep full of Belatrix, knives, blood and a pale blond boy with terror written between his wide silver eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thanks to Yeddi for my first review. This chapter is supper long, but I just really wanted to give it too y'all all in one.

Chapter 7:

Hermione woke suddenly to the sound of banging on her door. Shooting out of bed wand in hand she moved so that she said, "come in".

Charlie poked his head in and said, "grab a bag, 3 blankets and soft loose clothing, don't worry about what to wear while you sleep, he won't let you wear anything." Hermione blushed at the thought of a stranger seeing her naked, then blushed even deeper at the realization that Charlie would be there too. "So, uh, you have half an hour to get yourself, uh cleaned up or, or whatever." He stammered not looking at her before he turned to leave. He stopped and looked back saying, "Hermione, are you sure?" She nodded stubborn chin jutting out. He smiled in spite of himself, she was cute when she was being all obstinate, in a way anyway. He nodded and left her heading down to the kitchen to pack them a dinner to add to her bag.

Thirty minutes later Charlie and Hermione were calling to Mrs. Weasley saying that they were going to go stay the night with Bill and Fluer, and that they would be home tomorrow. She wished them well and gave them each a kiss on the cheek and a strong hug. Charlie took up the bag and headed out into the woods Hermione hot on his heals. They were moving faster than Charlie had thought they would, his leg was behaving well only aching occasionally, with the exception of one attack, and Hermione proved to be less clumsy than he had though navigating the wooden terrain confidently as if she belonged there.

Since they were ahead of schedule Charlie decided to stop by a small stream that they were to cross and rest his leg. Hermione say on a rock a few feet from his and stared at the toes of her sneakers as she pressed them into the soft earth. Eventually she said, "What do you think it will be?"

"I don't know," He admitted looking over at her still massaging his aching leg, "Like I said, I've heard of a dragon, and ashwinder, and a panther. Apparently

both magical and non-magical creatures are options."

"Will it be on my back like yours? Are they always black and white only?"  
"There's no telling where it will be, he just sees it in the fire and does it, I don't know how I've never seen him do it, if you don't mind, I plan to watch this time. As for the color, his Ashwinder has a green eye for all that its body is black and white, so color is possible I suppose, but then again he didn't do that one, so maybe he can't. The panther I saw was black and white too."

Hermione thought for a moment squirming a little at the idea of Charlie watching her naked while she slept, but then decided that he deserved the chance to watch, and besides she was curious too. "Yes," She said finally not looking at him, "You can watch as long as you tell me how it works."

Charlie nodded agreeing that he would and they set off to walking once more.

It was just before five o'clock when they reached a place where Charlie stopped and say down on a patch of dirt. Hermione came and sat beside him and moments later they heard movement from behind a tree. The man that emerged was older than Hermione expected, his skin was thin and wrinkled, and his clothing hung loose on bony limbs, but his hands were steady and he was confident as he approached them.

"Nomad" Charlie greeted him somberly. The small abled man bowed to Charlie before turning his attention to Hermione.

"You wish to have a dream tattoo done on you do you not?" he asked

"Yes Sir, but please could you tell me what spell it is you use?"

The man looked at her exasperated and said in a rough voice, "Hush little owl, for the acquisition of all wisdom is the milk of infants, and not the nourishment for young women. Now close your eyes and think. Reflect on your life, everything you have done, think about the good you have done, and the harm you have caused. Find the reason you have come here and let it guide me."

Brow furrowed Hermione sunk into a brown study. She thought about her childhood, some of the trouble she had caused her parents with her incessant need for knowledge. The same happened at Hogwarts as she strove to achieve everything at once and got into loads of trouble along the way, but she had helped to rid the world of Riddle, she had helped to rid the chamber of secretes of the basilisk, she had done many good things. The more she thought about it however, the more she fund that her achievements led to some form of self destruction, getting petrified by the basilisk, and tortured by Bellatrix, a memory which still haunted her today. She had even suffered personal losses as her relationship deteriorated, and her parents had died undignified deaths in the hiding that she had forced them into.

"I since that you have found what has brought you here miss, please come sit here." Said the man gesturing to one of the blankets that had been laid out by a now roaring fire. Hermione stood up almost falling back down again on her stiff legs until she was caught by strong arms that helped her up slowly. She let Charlie lead her to the blanket needing the support.

"Undress and lie down. Then you will drink this." He said setting a potion down beside her. She looked up at Charlie and he said, "Ill go for a moment." She nodded letting him go as she undressed. When she was completely naked she called him back. He walked out of the forest a blanket in front of him held out for her to lay over herself until the Nomad was ready to do his work. She blushed laying the blanket over her naked form and he knelt beside her running a hand over her hair.

Hermione picked up the potion and downed the gooey sweet concoction in one gulp. She could feel the effects almost immediately as she began to drift off into a thick foggy sleep.

Charlie caught her head as it slumped to the forest floor and laid it down gently moving her hair so that it did not bother her even though he knew she was too far under to care about her hair on her neck. The old man stood and closed his eyes beginning to chant. He used his wand and his free hand to chant into the fire as it flickered and changed. The shapes and waves meant nothing to Charlie, but they did to the elderly man as he addressed Charlie saying "Turn her onto her right side and uncover her fully." Charlie did as he was bid unable to help but notice that her breasts were full and her hips well rounded with smooth curves. He moved her warm body delicacy in his strong arms so that she was lying as the Nomad had asked. Charlie almost forgot his promise to keep quiet as he watched the man dip his hand straight into the flame. Flames licked at his fingers, and when he withdrew them the stuck to him like they were sucking on each digit. Charlie winced when he saw the man running long streaks of fire along Hermione's back amazed when he saw that the pigment left in her skin was the color of the flames themselves.

Charlie watched in awe as the man ran his hands in and out of the flames transferring them onto Hermione's skin. He almost stopped the artist when he reached under her breast and began to stroke the fire across her ribs just beneath them, but he held himself and watched silently. Charlie had figured out by now, that the marks on her ribs and back were wings half bent in flight feathers flowing down gracefully in bright fiery colors. The man then began work on the creature's head and neck. The neck wrapped under her left arm up the curve of her breast, the head resting just above her breast, and the beak dipping into her cleavage. Charlie tried to ignore the intimate nature of her tattoo, but found himself drawn to the sexual nature of it and realized that it was wrapped around her heart. The bird's breast trailed down her side almost to her hip.

The fire was beginning to burn low, and the colors being added to Hermione's skin began to fade to darker tones as the man outlined legs and talons, then continued onto the bird's tail. By the time that the fire was almost out the man was working on the long tail feathers that dropped to half way down her thigh, pieces of charred ashen feathers falling with flashes of flame all the way down to her ankle where Charlie saw him making the marks of a pile of ash. He used his fingernail to add ashen detail to the whole bird, drawing in details to every part. Finally when Charlie was convinced that there was nothing more the man could do to perfect the image of the Phoenix, the man reached into the depths of the fire to pluck out a small perfectly round bright blue ember which he place against the eye of the bird as Charlie watched the brilliant color sink into her creamy skin. With a final press of his fingertip the man left an ashen fingerprint in the middle of the eye making a pupil.

The tattoo was beautiful, showing the rich reds, oranges, and yellows of the fiery Phoenix throughout the head upper breast and wings, the belly and legs were darker shadowed tones that slipped into black talons and a smoky tail as small bits of feathers floated down her leg some still burning in bright colors around the rim an fell to the smoking pile of ash at her ankle. The phoenix appeared to be rising from the ashes just as it was disintegrating back into them. The massive tattoo reached from upper breast to ankle, but only complimented the natural curvature of her body instead of overwhelming it. Charlie lunged forward and caught the elderly man as he began to crumple to the floor exhausted.

"I have never seen someone so consumed by a creature before." He admitted "I thought I had seen it all when I did your tattoo covering your whole back, but this phoenix is not only a part of her like your dragon is you, it defines her, it is her life."

Charlie sighed and helped the old man into their last blanket before covering Hermione again, and settling in to sleep on the forest floor. He did not know what kind of life it would mean for Hermione to be consumed by a Phoenix, but he figured there would be a lot of pain and suffering, followed by rebirth. He supposed it could be worse before closing his eyes and falling asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: thanks to cleocleo22 for all the great reviews :)

Chapter 8:

The next morning Charlie was the first to wake, with the early dawn light peaking through the treetops. He groaned and pulled himself shivering off of the cold hard ground. Even though it was only September, the nights were brisk and he was shivering violently. He figured that it was okay to do magic around Hermione now, but he dared not disturb the process that she had undergone the night before just to place some warming charms on himself. Looking to his left he saw that the old man was fast asleep cocooned in the only blanket that Hermione did not occupy. Having no choice but to shiver or be close to her he walked slowly and quietly over to the blankets that Hermione was sandwiched between. He crawled in between the blankets half way tucking them between them to protect her naked body from him. He could feel the heat radiating off of her and smell her unique scent, that of strawberries and sunlight and old parchment. He inhaled deeply allowing the soothing aroma to skink into him and closed his eyes trying to keep himself from scooting closer and absorbing more of her heat and delicate scent.

When Hermione awoke from her dreamless sleep a couple hours later the sun was higher in the sky, and the whole left side of her body burned and stung. She groaned and pushed herself up with her right arm looking around her, feeling heat behind her she looked over to see Charlie lying beside her, his flaming red hair splayed out around him, his hard jaw soft with sleep.

"Charlie" She croaked holding the blanket up to cover her nudity. She did not want to dress so that she could see her new tattoo, but she was almost scared to look for herself, she craved his reassurance, and understanding of how she was feeling just then.

Charlie groaned in his sleep and reached out for her trailing his rough fingers softly down her smooth back. She hissed as his fingers brushed part of her tattoo on her back and wondered with a sudden flash of panic exactly how big this tattoo was. Hearing her discomfort Charlie opened his eyes and looked at her. He sat up quickly realizing where he was and glanced at the old man to see him stirring now.

"Charlie, what is it?" Hermione asked him knowing that he would understand what she was asking.

He smiled at her a little sadly sending a pang of worry though her, "A Phoenix" he said. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth gaped open softly as she thought about what that might mean.

The Nomad was untangling his boney knees from the blanket when he said, "Well come now girl stand up and let's have a look at it. I have never done such a large or strong work of art in my life."

A moment of panic crossed her features before Hermione pulled back the blanket and stood. Charlie was glad that she had left the blanket over him as his body became very much aware of hers and how mature and attractive he found her to be. In the daylight the Phoenix was just as beautiful as it had been the night before, but now finite details like the texture if the wings, and the gently curling patterns of the smoke rising from the ashes could be seen clearly. Charlie thought that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he was not sure whether he meant the tattoo or the nude woman standing before him.

With a flick of his wand and a toothy grin the old man produced a full-length mirror. Looking into it Hermione gasped with a mix of wonder and horror at the image that wrapped itself over the entire left side of her body. "How will I ever be able to hide all this?" she asked her face filled with dismay.

The old man laughed at her and said, "You can not hide who you are child, I can wear a pair of breaches to cover my inner nature, and as long as you don't get too close to your young man over there to see him without his shit, he can hide what lives within him, but you are the Phoenix, it consumes you, as you are eternally both. You are like the man who wears a snake upon his face, you cannot disguise your true nature."

Resigning herself to explaining to Molly, and everyone else she ever met, about her tattoo she looked at it closer in the mirror and marveled at its beauty and intricacy. She liked it she decided, even if it would take full robes to hide it, and any lover she might have might be scared away by the aqua eye on her breast something about it was fitting; and besides, surly a phoenix could take on Bellatrix.

Hermione grabbed her cloths and dressed her tender body swiftly hoping to get back to the nomad and ask him about fiend fire. When she emerged she heard Charlie broaching the subject with the elderly man.

The Nomad looked between Charlie and Hermione a thoughtful look in his eye before saying, "We are born of ash, even that of fiend fire, but we are infants, dumb an senceless, if you want to know about fire, you will have to find someone older and wiser to help you."

"The phoenixes?" Hermione asked.

The old man nodded and said, "There are places where land is born from the collision of fire and water, elements which will later destroy it. You will find Phoenixes there, they can help you if they so choose." and with that the man turned from them and walked into the forest.

Hermione sat knees pulled to her chest and though. She knew of such island, just about every continent had at least one or two of them, the trick would be finding one that they could go to and speak English. After they chose their island they would have to find a way to pay to get there and live for a while. Something about it felt wrong to Hermione, she feared that with all of the feather plucking and tear gathering that the Phoenixes would not want to talk to them even if she had a mural of one tattooed to her side. If they were going to do something for her, she would have to do something for them.

Looking up into Charlie's blue eyes she said, "Charlie, I need to speak to the head of the department of magical creatures."

"I think Dad could arrange that, but why?"

"We are going to the islands, and we're going to prove that Phoenixes are intelligent beings who deserve humane treatment by decree of the ministry."

"We?" he asked sitting beside her.

"Don't you want to come?" she asked him a little stung that he might not want to come with her. "They might be able to help me fix your leg."

"My leg is fine."

"You'll never be able to train dragons again if you can't get it back to normal Charlie."

He looked away knowing in his heart that it was true, but refusing to think about it that way. He couldn't stand to hope that he would be able to train again and then have it taken away. It was just better not to think of it at all. "I'll be no help Hermione, and I have no money to pay my way. I'm not worth taking along."

Hermione could almost visibly see the life draining out of him being replaced by self-pity and despair. "I will not take no for an answer Charlie Weasley, I need the company and the protection, and it couldn't hurt to have someone who was familiar with large fiery winged creatures either. We are going, you are coming with me, and we will fix your leg."

Charlie looked at her almost pleadingly, but neither knew whether he was pleading for it to be true, or for her to just give up on him and let him melt away. "Ok." He said and standing he held out his hand to help her up off the ground and then shouldering the bag began to lead the way back to the Burrow.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Ok FYI not a huge Ron fan, but I don't want to hate on him too much in this story, so this is probably the worst your will see him here, I promise he will be a positive aspect of the story later :)

Chapter 9:

Hermione walked through the front door of the Burrow Charlie not far behind and her breath caught in her throat when she saw Molly Weasley sitting at the kitchen table an angry concerned look on her face as she talked to Harry and Ron. "Oh shit" Hermione whispered covering her mouth immediately after realizing what she had said.

Charlie looked over her shoulder and froze; they had some explaining to do.

"Hermione Jean Granger, Charles Weasley where Have you been?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed loudly pushing back from the table so fast that she toppled her chair.

"Hi, Mrs. Weasley"

"Hi Mum" each said sheepishly.

"Well?" Said Ron arms crossed looking pissed off.

Charlie sighed deeply before stripping off his shirt and turning around.

Molly gasped and Ron said, "Awesome!"

"I went to get a tattoo Hermione tried to stop me."

Hermione looked back at him sharply then made a flash decision, he had done this for her, she was not going to let him take the fall for it, "No I didn't," Charlie shot her a sharp glare, "Charlie, you don't have to protect me, I couldn't hide it forever, I don't want to have to wear baggy sweats my whole life. I got one too."

"You did WHAT?!" Ron exclaimed walking forward to grab her arm and spin her around. Hermione closed her eyes; she had been worried about this. Things with her and Ron had been strained especially when it came to her body. He had always felt as if he owned some part of it that she owed to him; that had been half of why they had broken up. He began to lift the hem of her shirt turning her until he saw the tattoo. Mrs. Weasley let out another gasp as Ron made a sarcastic snort. He lifted her shirt higher so that her bra was half hanging out and began to tug down on her sweat pants exposing the talons and the top of the bird's tail. Still not looking at anyone Hermione jumped a little when she felt a solid presence at her back, the soft tickle of hair on her left shoulder that was not her own, and heard Charlie's voice say, "Enough Ron". She opened her eyes to see him grasping Ron's wrist and stopping him from unclothing her further.

"I think I have the right to see it." Ron said, but he let go, "you saw it didn't you, you watched as they did it to her. How could you Charlie."

"It was her choice; she's a grown woman, and its her call whether you have the right to see it or not." Even though Charlie's voice was calm and even Hermione felt almost a rumbling coming from his chest as he stood down his younger brother.

"Charlie's right." Said Mrs. Weasley turning from the scene heading to her room shaking her head in disapproval.

"Hermione could we please speak to you in private?" Harry asked gesturing up the stairs. Nodding Hermione left the protection of Charlie's strong shadow, and followed the boys up the stairs. She felt the lack of his presence like a weight on her heart and wanted to turn back and stand beside him again, but shook the thought from her head reminding herself that these where her best friends, and it was only recently that she had become close to Ginny's favorite brother.

Once they were in Ron's old room Ron turned on her face red with anger and demanded, "Let me see it, all of it."

"Ron" Harry warned, but Ron was too angry to listen.

"No Ron." Hermione said standing tall facing him down much as his brother had just done. He lunged at her enraged, but Harry was faster grabbing him by the collar and flinging him out of the magically opened door.

"Go home, I'll be there soon" Harry told him looking like a weary father with a son who had a habit of misbehaving.

Once Ron was gone Harry turned back into Hermione and asked simply, "Why?"

She looked at her friend and smiled saying, "It's kind of fitting don't you think? The number of times we've been lit up and burned to the ground just to stand back up again? Maybe having it will help remind me that no matter all the mess that happens, we always end up being reborn from the ashes of destruction."

Harry smiled and said, "Maybe you have the right of it Hermione, who knows I might even get a Phoenix tattooed on me." She smiled at him and he went on, "I'm sorry about Ron, He's been a bit off for a while now, keeps talking about needing to come back and get you and keep you where you belong, I keep telling him that I won't ask you to stay with us when it's not what you want and that if he wants a relationship he should talk to you about it, but he keeps insisting that he knows you feel the same way."

"Harry, that's the problem, I don't think I do."

Harry smiled sadly and pulling her to him in a hug said, "I know. I'll try to bring him around, get him to move on."

"Thank you Harry."

"Always Hermione, now get some sleep you look exhausted." With that he left.

Hermione was settling down in bed with a book when there was a nock on the door, "Come in" She said and Charlie poked his head in.

"Hey" She said smiling at him as he walked over to sit on the end of her bed.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked her.

"It's just Ron, he feels like he owns some part of me."

"And does he?" Charlie asked seriously not looking Hermione in the eyes.

"No, maybe once he did, but that's over, and it won't be that way ever again, I don't want that, I don't want him."

Charlie studied her for a moment before patting her feet and standing up to leave.

"Oh Charlie wait," Hermione said and he turned back too her, "Come here for a moment" She said patting the bed beside her.

Charlie walked around and plopped himself down on the bed beside her making it launch her an inch into the air and she giggled. As the sound rang sweetly in Charlie's ears he stood again and intentionally dive-bombed the bed making her spring off the mattress with a small shriek. She almost tumbled of the side of the bed, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back on the bed towards him.

Hermione found herself in the circle of Charlie's arms her head and hand leaning against his chest while her heart regained a regular rhythm.

Charlie had to force himself to pull away from her and sit her up right on her own.

Hermione leaned over and collected her book before flipping back to the page that she wanted to show him. "Look" she said showing him a picture of dense tropical forests and huge brightly colored flowers. "These are some volcanic islands that belong to the United States; they call them Hawaii. What do you think? They're very active, there are sure to be a large colony of Phoenixes there."

"They look beautiful, but Hermione, lets be realistic, how are we going to afford to do this?"

"Well maybe the Ministry will pay for it if we are doing research for them, but if not, we can live in a tent like during the war. I have some money, we could make it work. Take an international port key, then take off into the jungle."

"Is that safe?"

"Are you suggesting that I can't take care of myself? I am a witch after all; and besides, you'll be there, we'll be fine."

Charlie lightly tugged the book from her hands his rough fingers brushing against her hands as he took the book and began to read the page with information about the island. Maybe she was right, the island looked safe enough, and there seemed to be plenty of wild sources of food, maybe they really could do this after all. He thought about living in a tent on a tropical island with Hermione for an extended period of time chasing magical creatures, and suddenly the trip seemed much more appealing. As much as he found it odd to admit to himself, he refused to lie to himself, and therefore acknowledged the fact that he no longer saw the woman next to him as his little brother's best friend. The war had changed her mind and heart and made her grow and mature into a wise woman that carried the world on her strong shoulders, and time had changed her body, making her mature into a beautiful woman with eyes that melted like chocolate, and plump pink lips that played her emotions across her face. He enjoyed being with her, and was aware of how his body reacted to her and his desire to hold her, touch her, consume her, but he also knew that he was too old for her, and that he would do neither of them any favors by pushing himself on her before he was sure she was ready for him.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Charlie and Hermione spoke to Mr. Weasley that night, after explaining the that the tattoos were a way for them to heal after the war, they requested a consultation with the head of the department of magical creatures. Neither had told anyone about the magical properties of their tattoos keeping that information to themselves. Mr. Weasley agreed to get them an audience, and Hermione and Charlie went back up to her room to pack and plan for the trip. They packed provisions, tent, medicines, journals and ink pots into her small beaded bag. They talked and read about the different islands and decided that the island of Hawaii itself was their only option as it was the youngest island and only that housed active volcanoes.

It was getting late and the pair were getting tired, but Hermione could tell that something was on Charlie's mind and asked him what it was.

He looked at her awkwardly shifting a little bit under her gaze, but finally said, "I want to see you, in your dreams that is. I want to see your Phoenix. Can I enter into your dreams tonight?"

Hermione smiled at the thought of seeing the dragon that was Charlie gain in her dreams and agreed to allow him to peer into her dreams once again. As he went to pull the armchair up to the side of the bed she stopped him saying, "You'll go stiff in that chair, you can prop yourself up with some pillows and sit on the coverlet if you like" as she tucked herself under the blankets and smoothed it out beside her propping up a series of pillows against the headboard beside her.

Charlie hesitated for only a moment before crawling in beside her. Her scent soothed him, and her warmth beside him made him feel at home; it was a struggle to stay awake long enough to let her sleep first.

Hermione could feel Charlie next to her and was drawn to him like a magnet. She found herself squirming closer and closer to him until she felt a gentle hand stroking her hair out of her face. "It's alright," said his deep husky voice from somewhere near her ear, "Just sleep, I'll be there as soon as you fall asleep." He continued stroking her hair giving her the excuse that she needed to curl around and burry the top of her head into his warm side. He leaned down and kissed above her ear before saying again, "Sleep Hermione," and she did.

She was in the woods trying to stand on the ground. It hurt her feet like they were being split in two and stretched too far. Her balance was bad, and she began to fall, she reached out with a hand to catch herself and felt a sharp pain in her left arm as it crumpled into her side instead of holding her. Her large body hit the floor, and she squirmed unsure of how to properly right herself without arms or knees that worked.

Charlie entered her dreams as soon as he was sure that she was asleep lacing his fingers of his wand hand with hers. He swooped into her dreams and saw a flash of fiery red on the forest floor below him, he watched from a distance for a moment before realizing that she was falling. He swooped down to the ground, breaking branches and limbs of trees against his thick hide as he came to land before her. She squawked in fear as he landed before her and puffed out a long breath of air. Her screeching became even more outspoken as the dragon reached out a large talon clad paw and flipped her over onto her back.

When Hermione saw the dragon she quieted knowing that he could help her with her predicament, and moments later she relaxed her body as a long clawed paw came and delicately picked her up resting her on the pad of his paw and gazing at her head cocked to one side. He plucked at her left wing with the other claw and she opened and closed it for him.

Charlie was in awe; she was so beautiful. She was crimson, red, orange, and gold from head to tail tips with a black beak and talons, and a pair of bright blue eyes. He was glad to see that she had not broken her wing when she fell and decided that she needed a bit of a lesson on how to be a bird. His four pawed feet allowed him to walk around unhindered, but she was a bird solely of flight, and would need to learn to fly and perch. Standing on his hind legs he reached up to a high branch and tipped her so that she fell onto it talons first screeching and grasping at it.

Hermione felt safe balanced on Charlie's paw; that was until he rose up and dumped her onto a high branch. She grasped at it with all her might batting at it with her wings as if they would grow hands and hold on. After she calmed herself and sat on the branch for a few moments however, she became aware of the fact that it was in fact more comfortable to dig her talons into the round branch instead of trying to flatten them out onto the ground. As a wind blew she found herself flaring her wings out like she might arms to steady herself, and the wind, catching her wings, tipped her backwards and she almost fell from her branch before she snapped them shut and readjusted her position. She heard a low ruffing sound and looked at the dragon to see what she could only assume was an amused smile; he was laughing at her. She squawked at him, but that only made him repeat the ruffing sound even louder before he sat on his hind legs and batted her tail with a forepaw. As she snatched it out of the way she felt her balance change and discovered that instead of arms to help balance her she had a long beautiful tail.

The wind having died down, and curious about what it would feel like to fly Hermione started to flap her wings a little experimentally. The dragon shook his head at her and she stopped. He reared again and put the top of his head up against the tree branch, and awkwardly and slowly she hopped her way onto his head and down to where his scales grew larger and easier to grip from the connection between his head and neck. Suddenly Hermione felt huge muscles bunch and the dragon took off into the air with an almighty wing beat.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Charlie hardly even felt the weight on his head, although every once in a while a talon would knick his skin making him wince a little. She was only about as long from crest to tail-tip as his forearm, and her wingspan was about as broad as his back. They were high in the air when he began to circle slowly and wait for her to take flight.

Hermione understood her cue to fly off, but she was much less comfortable with falling from hundreds of feet then she had been with falling a few inches. Slowly she clawed her way down to his muzzle and stopped just above the place where hard scales were replaced with soft flesh. She peered out over the side and the drop below her made her stomach turn. Why had he brought her so high? It wasn't safe.

Charlie felt an itching on his nose and ignored it, he could see Hermione standing there trying to get her courage up. He knew that he would never let her fall, but did she. There was the tickling again, he pushed it aside, but suddenly his eyes began to water and his nostrils began to burn. He sneezed his head flipping down and shaking side-to-side dislodging a now shrieking and falling Hermione.

Hermione was flung into the air and spread her wings quickly and awkwardly trying to flap them, but she was spiraling so fast that she could not stabilize herself. Suddenly she felt a pressure on her belly and looked down to see Charlie. She kept flapping her wings as he pushed her horizontal again. When she felt like she was balanced she flapped a little harder and was pushed off of his head as he fell away under her and flew fifteen feet or so below her. She was flying.

The feeling was exhilarating as she felt new muscles working. She tipped ever so slightly to the left and found herself banking smoothly. Then she turned to the right getting the hang of flying now.

It wasn't long before she was exhausted and found herself slowly loosing altitude. Soon Charlie swept up under her and led them into a controlled decent to a grassy pasture with some old fallen trees and a lake. Charlie landed and Hermione fluttered down onto the limb of a fallen tree feeling her eyelids growing heavy and her muscles aching.

Charlie watched as the beautiful regal bird began to drift off to sleep, and as much as he knew what it was he had to do, he could not bring himself to kill her and break the dream apart. It would not hurt her, one can not be hurt in his or her own dream, but it would cause her to wake suddenly and allow him out of the dream so that he could go to his own bed to sleep. If he fell asleep now with her here in the dream, he would fall asleep beside her human form in her bed. Deciding that he would talk to her about it the next day and get her permission before he killed her he settled down to sleep his head resting on the trunk of the fallen tree near her branch.

The next morning Hermione woke early and found herself smiling in her sleep. She stirred a little and nuzzled her face into something hard and warm with the most intoxicating scent. She opened her eyes a crack and blinked in the subtle dawn light finding a stripe of orange red cutting through her vision of tanned flesh. Charlie she thought starting a little. She remembered him in her dream, she rolled her shoulders trying to feel some form of ache, but none came. She realized that she still clasped Charlie's wand hand, and wriggled her fingers free.

Charlie was stirred awake much too early by realization that she had left him. Reaching out he found that she was not far and with a strong arm around her thin soft waist he pulled her into him with a sleepy sigh of content.

"Charlie" she whispered tucking hair behind his ear gently.

"Hm?"

"Charlie you need to go to your own room, what about you Mum?"

"Humf"

"Come on Charlie she's already annoyed enough at us don't you think?"

"Umhm"

"Then you need to go"

"Hmmm… uhu"

"Yes you do sleepy bones, don't make me levitate you."

"It's not the sleep I will miss." Charlie said sitting up with a groan and letting the hand around her waist trail down her back before using it to rub his eyes. Hermione blushed, but with another grunt Charlie was up and heading out the door. Stopping in the doorframe he said, "Your beautiful by the way."

Hermione laughed softly and asked teasingly, "Me or the bird?"

Charlie just flashed her a white toothed grin and shut the door behind him leaving Hermione to think about what he might have meant by all that.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Mr. Weasley owled Hermione to let her know that they had an appointment at four o'clock with the head of magical creatures at the Ministry, a man named Mr. Rodrics. Hermione spent the morning and afternoon researching hard facts on what suffering both the Phoenixes and witches and wizards suffered in the attempts of gathering ingredients from them and built an argument for humane treatment and voluntary trade based upon what she hoped to find.

When four o'clock rolled around Hermione and Charlie found themselves in a large waiting room watching a bleach blond receptionist pop her gum, which changed color every time she blew her small bubbles. Both were dressed in full dress robes covering their tattoos, Hermione's hair was tamed into a tight bun and Charlie had enlisted her help to place a binding charm on his horsetail so that it would stay smooth and straight without any small pieces escaping in odd directions; he had even shaved.

Fifteen minutes later they were called into the office, and with pleasantries exchanged Hermione started her presentation while Charlie, aware that there was only one chair, stood in the back of the room feet planted and arms crossed.

Mr. Rodrics looked at the statistics for a moment once Hermione had finished and then glanced up at Charlie saying, "So where do you come in?"

"I am her guide, protection, and magical creature expert. I have spent many years in the mountains training dragons; this being the case, I am also a witness to the costs occurred on both sides when we try to take things from creatures that are capable of giving, and protecting what they have."

Mr. Rodrics nodded and chose to ignore Charlie for the rest of the meeting seeing him as hired muscle and turned his attention back to Hermione saying, "I agree with you Miss Granger, I think that it would be wonderful if we could have open trade with creatures lie Phoenixes and Dragons, but it is not a popular idea, and I fear that supporting it in theses early stages will uproot many new projects that are already in motion to protect magical creatures."

"Please Sir, all we need is a little money, and a promise that if we can prove that they are capable that you will install the laws that must be put into place to allow this to happen."

"Miss Granger, you would not only have to prove their ability, but their willingness. Until such a point as you are able to do both, I don't foresee my ability to aid you in this."

"So if I can prove them able and willing to trade what we need in the quantities that we need, then you will negotiate a trade standard with them and put the laws in place that are needed to regulate the fairness of that trade?"

"I can assure you that I, and my collogues in magical law would snatch at the opportunity to open trade treaties with magical beings, like we have done the goblins, but I can not fund this expedition."

"What about an international portkey? We will be starting in the American island of Hawaii, but I should think that we should need to visit all the nests, can you get us the portkeys we will need?"

"I believe I can do that much at least. When is it that you wish to leave?"

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Charlie and asked "Three days?" He nodded and she turned back to Mr. Rodrics confirming the date with him.

"Very well, I will owl you your portkey as well as a map to the portkey office in Hawaii with a voucher so that you may return."

"Thank you sir, I will write to you off our progress, and come to visit you upon my return."

"Very well Miss Granger, good luck to you."

"Thank you Sir."

With that Hermione turned and left Charlie hot on her heals.

Later that night Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, sat at the dinner table with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Charlie. Mr. Weasley asked, "How was your meeting with Rodrics?"

"Meeting?" Harry, Ron and Mrs. Weasley said in almost perfect unison making everyone smile.

"Yes, we had a meeting today with the head of magical creatures at the Ministry. "

"How come?" Asked Ron, but Hermione could tell, and had to admit she was a little surprised that he was not angry about it only curious.

"Well a few reasons actually." Hermione said.

"We are going to try to prove that some magical creatures are capable and willing to open trade negotiations for the goods that we desire instead of us taking them by brute force; well Hermione is anyway." Charlie said.

"Oh Dears, that sounds like a wonderful idea." Said Mrs. Weasley beaming.

"We are going to be starting with the Phoenixes, because I think that they might have the knowledge for me to finish healing Charlie's leg."

"Finish?" Molly asked

"I managed to find an odd break that it seams might have been overlooked, I re-broke and set the bone so it's healed right now, but I think that there was more to the curse. He still gets periodic attacks that send him to the ground in pain, I am hoping that the Phoenixes wisdom and skill will help me to heal him completely."

"Our family would be forever in your debt." Mr. Weasley said kindly placing his hand over hers.

"We already are." Said Charlie quietly to no one in particular.

"When do you leave? Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"We leave in three days for the Volcanic island of Hawaii." Hermione answered.

"Oh, I've heard it's beautiful there, you will love it." Exclaimed Mrs. Weasley.

"How much is the ministry giving you? Gunna be living in a mansion I bet being the brains of the golden trio and all." Ron said with a good-humored chuckle.

"Nothing." Said Charlie a little bitterly, "A couple of portkeys and a heaping load of nothing.

"Really?" Mr. Weasley asked surprised.

"It's a controversial issue." Hermione said as means of explanation, "In fact, Harry, I was wondering if we could borrow a few things from the war. The tent and whatnot you know."

"Of course, take whatever you want."

"Thank you."

"Hermione, could we talk to you for a moment?" Ron asked.

"Um, sure." She said and the three of them left the room.

Once again in Ron's old room both boys gave her a hug and Harry said,

"We're really happy you found something worth doing, and if you can give Charlie his leg back, well that would be a miracle."

"Thanks." She said a little nervous about what Ron had to say, but with a look to Ron, Harry left the room leaving them alone.

Ron smiled awkwardly and said, "I wanted to say sorry, I was stupid. I never meant to scare you, or act like such a prick, I guess I just miss the old Hermione sometimes. The truth is, neither of us are the same as we were before the final battle; no one is, and I just wanted us to be so badly before that I couldn't see that you weren't the one for me anymore. Dose that make any since?"

Hermione hand to touch her face to make sure that her jaw had not hit the floor. Who had taken Ron and given him a massive dose of maturity? "Ya, I know what you mean." She said still a little bit in shock.

Ron stepped forward and hugged her saying, "Hey, but you'll still write us right? And make sure my brother doesn't get himself cooked too much?"

"Of course" She said a tear in her eye.

"Good, alright then, We'll come to see you off in three days, make sure you pack toilet paper." He said and was out the door.

Hermione stood there for a moment shocked, but then scrambled down to her room and added toilet paper to the list of supplies she still needed to get.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: OK so I'm sorry for the delayed post its been a couple of crazy days with my boyfriend getting ready to go out of town for a couple weeks, and me meeting with doctors trying to get a time to get surgery and university finals all at the same time. Here's a little one and maybe one more to come tonight, but I'm super exhausted. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this in the next few weeks I'd say it's 1/3 the way done or so, maybe less, I plan to leave it set up for a sequel so you won't get all the magical creatures this go round, but with my bf gone and school ending I should have a little more time.

Chapter 13:

It was the morning of the day that Hermione and Charlie were to leave, and Hermione could not find Charlie anywhere. After wandering the house and property looking for him she sought out Mrs. Weasley. Finding her in the kitchen she asked, "Mrs. Weasley, have you seen Charlie? We are to leave in 3 hours and everyone is coming to see us off in an hour.'

"Oh, Hermione dear, yes he told me to tell you that he had to go pick up a few things, and not to worry he'll be back soon as may be."

Hermione looked confused for a moment her brows furrowed as she considered what he might be collecting.

"Hermione dear, I was wondering if we could talk for a moment. Tea?"

"Sure Mrs. Weasley and yes please." Mrs. Weasley smiled at her and poured her a cup before leading her over to the table and sitting down with her. "I just wanted to say that I think it's wonderful that you and Charlie have been able to help each other so much. You were both so lost; Charlie was crushed after he was fired, and you were just so frustrated with life and wondering aimlessly."

"I'm glad too." Hermione admitted looking at her tea.

"Now don't get me wrong here, but do you think that you two will ever be able to help each other on a deeper level?"

"Deeper level?" Hermione asked not sure what she was getting at.

"Well Dear, after things didn't work out with you and Ron, and Charlie has never been one for bringing girls home, but his life has changed so much recently, I was just thinking."

Hermione sat back a little surprised. It wasn't as if she had never thought of Charlie that way, she just had thought it crazy to say anything out loud. She had thought that she was done with dating in the Weasley family after Ron, but she had to admit, Charlie was much more her type. She had always been attracted to a man that she felt protected with, someone who was bigger and stronger than her, not that Ron wasn't, but it was a little too close for her fancy. She certainly enjoyed Charlie's company physically as well as mentally, but she knew that he saw her as a little girl compared to him. She was seven years his junior, and not half the woman that most of his girls in the past had been.

"Well," Hermione said awkwardly, "I doubt it, I'm just his little brother's friend; he would never see me that way."

"Do you see him that way?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly

"Well, I wouldn't count on him seeing you like you were first year. You've both changed so much. Just know that everyone would be thrilled if you two found that you could find comfort in one another, and that we will love you no matter what."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said feeling warmth in her heart towards the woman that she saw as a mother figure to her.

The fireplace flared green and Charlie stepped out a large bag slung over his shoulder. "Afternoon Ladies, Hermione do you have a moment?" he asked and with a hug to Mrs. Weasley she followed him up the stairs.

"What on earth is all this?" Hermione asked.

"I've got a friend who owed me a couple favors, and let's just say I collected."

"A couple?"

"Ok more like a few." He chuckled at her raised eyebrow and consented, "Ok he owed me big time. Look here." He said putting the bag on the ground of her room and beginning to pull things out of the bag. "He specializes in… well fire for lack of a better word. Not fiend fire, I asked him, but he works with Ashwinders, Phoenixes, Dragons and just about anything else with the capability of burning you. He made us some protective gear, gave you a few books, and a few other things as well." Charlie had pulled out two sets of dragon hide boots and gloves, two dragon skin bands with a Phoenix feather on each, a stack of books, a few jars of balm, and Hermione could see that there was still more in the bag that he was not pulling out.

"Boots and gloves that are completely flame and heat repellent, hairbands charmed to keep your hair from burning, books on the history of just about every sentient magical creature, fire and heat retardant balm, burn cream, and…" he said pulling something large out of the bag, "Two dragon leather fire and heat retardant coats."

"Wow," said Hermione, "Some friend! That lot has to cost more than a thousand galleons."

Charlie laughed and said, "I saved his life and that of his whole family, and I provided most of the materials which is the expensive part."

"Charlie, Hermione, Harry and Ron are here." Mrs. Weasley yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming" Hermione said and began to help Charlie pack their new things into her small, magical beaded bag. As Charlie was about to leave the room she grabbed his arm and said, "Wait Charlie I…" she looked at him unsure exactly how to express how thankful she really was. He probably saved her skin ten times over, and she couldn't even imagine what it must have cost him. "Thank you" she said lamely.

"Course" he said smiling.

"No Charlie, I mean it really, thank you." She said stepping towards him and wrapping her arms around him hugging him.

It had been a long time since he had hugged Hermione, she had been a young girl the last time, and this was completely different. He wrapped her in his arms and squeezed her to him bending so that he could plant a soft kiss on the top of her head before saying, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Stepping back reluctantly she smiled at him and they both turned and scurried down the stairs when Harry's voice came ringing up the stairwell saying, "Mum made cake and if you don't hurry Ron is about to eat it all."


	14. Chapter 14

OK you guys, Im so so so sorry about how long that took, i am working on the next chapter now stuff is just supper crazy right now with university finals, my job, a horse show, moving, and surgery.

Chapter 14:

Their going away party was great; even Ginny was there for a little while until she and Harry made a rather conspicuous disappearance. Charlie and Hermione, as the guests of honor, were rarely separated, and always talking about their plans. Several people asked about Charlie's leg, and he just said that Hermione had found a break that no one else did, and Hermione smoothly passed off several suggestions that she should be a healer.

Before long the clock was passing the five minute mark on when their protkey would be there, and then they would have another five minute window to take it before its magic wore off. The hugged everyone and took the wishes of good luck and promised to write, before the fire blazed green, and an old toothbrush flew out of it.

"Ew" said Hermione scrunching her face at it.  
"My Lady" Charlie said laughing and holding the non-bristled end out to her.

"Bye you two we love you, be safe good luck." Mrs. Weasley said giving them each a final hug and kiss as Hermione reached towards the toothbrush hesitantly a look of disgust on her face.

As her finger made first contact she felt a jolt behind her bellybutton, and a wooshing around her. The both went sprawling as the toothbrush came to a sudden stop, and they landed in greenery in a dense forest.

"Did we come to the right place?" Charlie asked.

Looking around Hermione saw huge thick solid trees, massive ferns and brightly colored flowers larger than dinner plates and nodded.

"Good" Said Charlie dusting himself off and walking over to where she was still seated on the forest floor in the middle of a large fern looking around. He helped her up before asking, "Now what?"

"Well, I think that first we need to find a good place to pitch our tent, and make up a camp for a few days. It would be good to get to know our surroundings and such before we try to find the Phoenixes, so that we are on a little bit more stable ground when we meet them."

"Hiking it is the, which way"

Looking around herself ands seeing that they were on the slope of a hill she said, "Up" and began to walk Charlie close behind.

Twice Hermione's cloak caught on foliage before she asked to stop and change. Charlie was grateful, this air was thick and heavy with water and musk, and he was soaking through his long sleeve shirt. Charlie summoned his change of shirt out if her bag and turned around to change before she wandered off into the brush to make a more full change of cloths.

"I'm done" Hermione said and Charlie turned around. What he saw shocked him for a moment and he had to remind himself not to stare. He had always appreciated the summer cloths worn by mugle teen girls, but it took him by surprise to see Hermione in them. She wore simple thin grey shorts that barley covered her behind, and a bright green sports bra with a pink tank top over it and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. In these cloths, you could see all of her the head and tail of the Phoenix running down her left side, and the blue eye peeping out of her bra.

Blushing a little she said, "I didn't know what to do about the tattoo, I know it looks a little silly, but…"

"No I like it," Charlie said smiling at her and to his surprise she said,

"Me to".

"Lets keep going then shall we?" Charlie suggested placing his long sleeve shirt in her bag, and guiding her forward with his hand gently on her bare shoulder blade.

The sun was beginning to fade into the treetops when they found an area that was relatively flat, and bare, but not covered in sharp glasslike stones called Aa, or volcanic rock. Hermione handed her bag to Charlie who began to prepare the tent as she walked circles around their little area, casting spell after spell so that they would not be found. She figured that since they were not running from Lord Voldemort anymore that she didn't really need all of the protective spells, but it was better safe than sorry.

Dinner was based on the food that they had packed when they were at the Burrow, and soon they were preparing for bed on opposite sides of the tent. Charlie felt a little odd; this was not how he wanted their evenings to go. The were stuck in an awkward silence and he wasn't sure how to break it. He knew he wanted her, his dreams the night before had made that obvious, it was truly infuriating to be a dragon in his dreams as the human woman giggled and flirted with him, even going so far as to strip down to her underwear to swim, and not be able to touch her.

Hermione could feel the tension rolling between them, she wanted to go hug him like she had done earlier that way, she may not be sure how she feels about him, but one thing that she knew, she wanted to be close to him, and it was not her place. She was too young for him, he would not see her as the woman that she had come to see herself since entering his dreams, but instead as his little brother's girlfriend, which she was not.

Unable to stand it any longer Charlie went to the middle of the tent raised his hand to knock and asked, "Can I come in?"

That got Hermione to laugh and for a moment the tension was gone. "It's your tent too" she said and he smiled before going over and sitting on her hammock right where she was about to sit causing her to squeal a little and end up sitting in his lap awkwardly. Charlie adjusted her to a more comfortable position on his lap before leaning his forehead on the arm that was in front of her and sighing. He loved the way that she smelled he mused to himself his eyes fluttering closed his eyelashes tickling her skin. Hermione shivered a little with the tickle of his eyelashes as they contrasted the warmth of his breath. Charlie looked up and asked "You cold?" wrapping an arm around her back so that he could rub her arms with his hands.

"Not really." She said looking down into his very blue eyes and feeling herself melt into him a little bit.


	15. Chapter 15

Ok guys were gonna get a little M rated here so seriously i did mean M when i said it don't read if your too young.

Chapter: 15

Charlie leaned back against the tent wall, which was surprisingly stable, Hermione tucked into him against his chest his arms around her. She was still looking at him and he raised one hand to brush a stray strand of hair from where it seemed determined to tickle her nose. Brushing it back behind her ear he smiled at her.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat, was this his way of being brotherly? If it was he needed to stop.

"How long have I known you Hermione?" Charlie asked.

It was a moment before she could answer, but she said, "Almost eight years now."

"Hmmmm, to think I've been around you eight years, and I never really even knew you until a week or so ago."

"I was your little brother's schoolgirl friend, and you were a dragon tamer in Romania, it was hardly a fitting pair."

"But your not any more are you?"

Hermione looked up at him suddenly from where she had been fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She was suddenly aware of his warm arms, and solid chest, and the bit of hair tickling her cheek. Could he possibly be saying that he didn't see her that way anymore "Not so much anymore. The war takes that little school girl right out of you." They laughed a little but Charlie's eyes were a little sad.

"Nor am I a dragon trainer in Romania anymore, but I suppose all that is for the best now isn't it, because otherwise I wouldn't be here with you."

"I suppose that's true."

"Funny to think that I have the war to thank for the fact that I can do this." He said tipping her chin up with two calloused fingers and sliding his thumb across her cheek as he leaned in and softly pressed his lips against hers.

Hermione was in pure shock, a very real part of her wanted to respond, but she was too busy thinking about everything that he had said.

Feeling that she had not responded to him Charlie pulled back to look at her. The look on her face was that of confusion and turmoil and so he let her go so that she could walk away from him if she wanted, and said, "I'm sorry, I've wanted to do that for a while now, but I understand. I'm too old for you, you should be with someone more your age, someone you can relate to." He felt a little crushed and angry with himself, but he couldn't leave because she was still sitting on his lap.

Finally she spoke saying, "You don't see me as a little girl anymore?"

He looked at her confused realizing she was still stuck on what he had said before he had kissed her, "I mean you were always so smart no one treated you like a kid, and I was always amazed at your intelligence, but no, I don't see you as a little girl anymore, because your not you've grown, you're a woman now in your own right and I'm not the only one who sees it." He wanted to draw circles on her back as she thought, he wanted to play with her hair and pepper her with kisses as he watched the wheels turn in her head, it was so darn cute. He knew he shouldn't though, he knew he should wait her out and see how she felt about him first. IT had been stupid of him to push this on them when they had only just started sharing a tent, and she couldn't escape him for long even if she wanted to, but he just couldn't stand it anymore, and some small part of him admitted that he didn't want her to be able to avoid him.

He felt soft ghosts of fingertips graze his slightly stubbled jawline and realized that she was back he looked down at her. Her eyes were wide and bright as her eyes jumped from his eyes to his lips back and forth biting her own. Knowing what she wanted, and hoping he was right he bend down and kissed her again.

This time she responded kissing him back softly her palm on his cheek eyes fluttering closed. This time it was a few moments before they broke apart, and when they did, their heartbeats were irregular and their breathing was heavy. There was a slightly wild look in Hermione's eyes that Charlie would learn to recognize as need as she stared at him biting her lip again.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Are you?" He asked her concerned that it had been weird for her.

She thought for a moment and then smiling said, 'Yes"

"Good " he said kissing her again, "So am I"

They sat on her hammock for a while as Charlie buried his nose in her soft sweet smelling hair and rubbing circles on her back. When he asked, "What are we gunna do tomorrow?" and got no response he pulled back gently to look at her and smiled to see that she was asleep. Standing with her in his arms he realized that she seemed to weigh nothing to him and almost just wanted to stand there for a while holding her and watching her sleep, but he was growing sleepy as well, and so he placed her in her Hammock and summoned a blanket which he set at her feet instead of covering her in it, because he didn't want her to sweat.

Crawling into his own hammock he hoped that that would have been enough to sate his dreams, and that he could rest in peace without the rigid aching he had experienced the day before.

Sadly for Charlie he was wrong. It didn't take long for the dream to start. His dragon self was soaring around looking down on a small house. That confused him for a moment before he realized that he was a dragon in muggle London. That was not a good sign. He thought long and hard about being human, but it would not happen for him. As things often were in dream worlds, physics was defying him, stretching to allow him to stand in small places, so he landed on the street and looked around himself. His eyes grew wide as he saw Hermione, looking thoroughly Muggle surrounded by muggle friends including a boy with his hand around her waist and sneaking its way down to her ass, walking down the street across from him. He growled, but no one heard him; they didn't know he was there. They walked into a nearby club with ponding music and bright lights dancing across the walls and out the open door. He followed testing the boundaries of the flexible physics and found that he could enter the small door. He watched for a while as they danced, first Hermione and the boy, and Charlie growled and circled them as he humped against her and they ground together. Charlie was much more supportive however of her when she danced with her friends, he could feel that familiar ache and burn as his human body began to react to her swaying hips and bouncing breasts.

Eventually they left and Charlie followed her to a small apartment complex where she and the man entered a small flat. He watched through their open window as she stripped in the bedroom leaving a trail of cloths to the open shower and turned the hot water on. Charlie whined with desire as he watched in the slanted mirror as she bathed herself and even began to play with herself a little. When he thought he couldn't take it anymore and was about to see if he could crawl through the window and give her what she so clearly wanted the man walked in and joined her in the shower. Charlie's eyes were blazing with anger as they exited the shower in a hurry dripping wet and the man threw her onto the bed sliding into her moments later. Charlie was furious. He slashed and swiped and roared at the tinny apartment, wanting to tare it to the ground, but he could never touch it as he watched the Phoenix tattoo ungulate under the strange man that was not him. Finally giving up he took off into the air with a furious woosh of air, but not before he heard her scream a name and come down from her moment of excitement.

Charlie woke suddenly and was glad to see that Hermione was still asleep. His blood pressure was way up he felt dizzy, and his tented pants and bed sheets led his attention to his aching member. Ducking out of his hammock he went out side not caring that there was a thick warm rain coming down, and left the sound entrapping protection of their little camp. He couldn't stand this anymore, and he knew that this would not go away on its own. Undoing his pants and taking himself in his large hand he hissed and squired at the warm contact wishing his hands were smaller and less calloused as he began to pump himself thinking of Hermione and the Phoenix under him. His body was so disappointed about being hyped up only for this that it took him much longer than he had hoped to reach his unfulfilling finish.


	16. Chapter 16

Would love to see what y'all think, any suggestions, anything you want to happen? Am i moving them along too slow? too fast? review!

Chapter 16:

When Hermione woke the next morning Charlie was gone. She looked everywhere she could for him and was never able to find him. She was a rational girl, she didn't jump to conclusions so she sat and though about the day before. First they had had a little party, then they had taken the portkey, they had climbed to this spot set up camp, and had dinner, then… then he had kissed her, and she him and now he was gone. She froze her mind flashing back to Ron leaving them, leaving her, they had been together then, she would never tell Harry, they didn't want him to feel awkward, but he had kissed her, he had held her and told her he loved her, and then he had left too. She had know that it had bothered her more than she had been willing to let on at the time, but she had never expected to date another Weasley, and had especially not expected him to do the same thing.

Last time when Ron had left she had waited for three days for him to come back, not this time, she would pack up camp and move on. Throwing down the wards with a wave of her wand she turned to the cooking supplies and had them flying in to her bag as she held it open.

"Hermione, what's wrong? Are we moving?" Charlie said coming up behind her worried.

She turned on him her bag forgotten and falling onto the soft springy ground wand pointed at his chest. Charlie raised his hands looking a little surprised, but soon Hermione's wand fell to the floor and she sunk down beside it. Charlie rushed forward and took her shoulders in his hands asking, "Hermione, what's wrong?"

"You… you… you left." She said beginning to sob a little.

"Oh. Damn it Hermione, I'm not going anywhere, come here." He said picking himself up from the ground and into his lap. He was aware of the fact that she was considerably heaver than she had been as she slept the night before, but pushed it aside his focus on the distraught woman in his arms. He held her to him and rocked her hushing her from time to time. It wasn't long before Hermione was peaking up from his chest and he let her sit up on her own.

"I'm sorry." She said standing up and offering a hand out to him, "I was scared something had happened to you, I was going to come find you, that's all."

Charlie took the offered hand and as she tugged to help him up he pulled her forward back onto him. "You are a horrible liar Hermione, and we are not leaving this spot until you tell me what is really going on."

She looked away from him and buried her face in her hands the best she could. She didn't say anything for a while, but then she said, "Ron got taken from us during the war."

"You said 'you left' it doesn't sound like he got taken. Did Ron leave you and Harry during the war?"

Hermione shook her head no, but by the look in her eyes Charlie could tell that it was otherwise. He sat up fully and pulled her to him hushing her and stroking her hair. "He was young Hermione and dealing with a lot of shit. I may be dealing with some shit, but I'm not a seventeen-year-old boy, I would never leave you, even if I was angry I would tell you so and try to work it out. I wont leave until you tell me to, I promise." Hermione's hands were fisted in his t-shirt and she nodded into his chest.

As much as Charlie had made excuses for his little brother, and as much as he knew that those excuses were fair and right, he was still pissed at Ron for being such a coward. No one else would have run like that, not even little Ginny.

Hermione wasn't sure which hurt more, admitting to someone else that Ron leaving had left its mark on her, or admitting it to her self. She just buried down into Charlie's chest and clung to his night shirt staining it with her tears. It had been so long since she had cried, really cried, and she needed it now, she just felt bad that Charlie had to put up with it. He seemed so natural at it though that she hardly noticed, Ron and Harry were so awkward when it came to handling tears, Hermione could see why this was Ginny's favorite brother.

Hermione had stopped crying now, and Charlie raised her chin so that he could look at her, "Are you going to be ok?" he asked her, but the level of brokenness in her eyes told him he didn't want to hear the lie that was about to come out so he simply bent down and kissed her. She kissed him back and he lapped at her upper lip with the tip of his tongue holding her to him softly and sweetly. She relaxed her saw a little and let him in with a light sigh as his tongue brushed against hers. Not wanting to push this too far too soon Charlie kept his kisses slow and sweet even though his body was begging for more. Soon he ended the kiss and pulled back to wipe the last of the tears from her face, and straighten her hair a little.

"What do you say we put everything back up and make us some breakfast hm?" He asked

Hermione nodded and got up sheepishly pulling out her wand and sending things flying back into proper order while Charlie began to set up the makings for eggs and bacon only at the last moment remembering to remove the cooling charm that kept them fresh. Wands made everything easier he mused as he lit a roaring fire with a flick, and moved a pan around the flames from his perch in a tree stump five feet away from the flickering flames.


End file.
